Sadler, N orcid.org/0000-0002-6700-4968 (2019) Myths, masterplots and sexual harassment in Egypt. The Journal of North African Studies, 24 (2). pp. 247-270. ISSN 1362-9387
Abstract
Formally a taboo subject, public sexual harassment in Egypt has received increased media attention since the 2011 revolution. The scholarly literature on the topic, however, remains thin, particularly with regard to the social mechanisms that sustain an environment permissive of street harassment.Drawing on the rape myths literature, this article argues that naturalised and stereotyped understandings of the causes and implications of street harassment provide discursive resources to excuse harassers and blame victims for the harassment they suffer. It argues, however, that these understandings are better understood as narrative masterplots to be contested than as myths to be debunked, emphasising that falsity and prejudicial impact must not be conflated. It concludes with recommendations for activism and future research, arguing that it may be more effective to promote alternative interpretive frames than attempt to directly challenge currently dominant understandings.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2018 Taylor & Francis. This is an author produced version of an article published in The Journal of North African Studies. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Egypt; myth; narrative; sexual harassment; women |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures (Leeds) > School of Languages Cultures & Societies (Leeds) > Translation Studies (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 22 May 2023 12:46 |
Last Modified: | 22 May 2023 12:46 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Taylor & Francis |
Identification Number: | 10.1080/13629387.2017.1419872 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:195683 |
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